Artwork
Le calvaire (2e planche) (Calvary) (second plate)
Le calvaire (2e planche) (Calvary) (second plate) is an ink print by Jean-Louis Forain. It dates from 1902 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Le calvaire (2e planche) is an etching created by Jean-Louis Forain in 1902 on laid Van Gelder paper. It is a print that showcases the artist's skill in combining different techniques to convey a powerful scene.
Subject & Meaning
The etching depicts the scene of Calvary, with three crosses on a rocky hill and a crowd gathered below, illuminated by torchlight. A figure in a robe points upwards, his hand trembling, drawing attention to the crucifixion.
Technique & Style
Forain employed a combination of etching and drypoint techniques to achieve a detailed and textured effect. The use of drypoint is evident in the tiny scratches that catch the light, particularly in the robe of the pointing figure, adding depth and nuance to the image.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Louis Forain (French pronunciation: ; 23 October 1852 – 11 July 1931) was a French Impressionist painter and printmaker, working in media including oils, watercolour, pastel, etching and lithograph.
Pietà (3e planche) (Pietà) (third plate)
Pietà (3e planche) (Pietà) (third plate)
Group of Figures
Le femme adultère (3e planche) (The Adulteress) (third plate)
Le Christ dépouillé de se vêtements (Christ Stripped of His Clothes)
Lourdes, la miraculée (1ère planche) (Lourdes, the Miracle) (first plate)
The Fire, 2nd plate (L'incendie)
Les notables (petite planche) (The Notables) (small plate)